The invention relates generally to pavement resurfacing devices and more particularly, it concerns an improved method and device for repaving which planes the surface and forms a new surfacing mixture for depositing over the planed surface in a continuous operation.
Heavy machinery has long been used to rework deteriorating roads. In the past, numerous machines were utilized to resurface a given section of road. Typically, however, the section of road being worked upon could not carry traffic for several days during resurfacing, thereby necessitating a rerouting of traffic.
Attempts have been made, though, to simplify the procedure for resurfacing a road by either streamlining the process through a series of steps each utilizing a separate machine or through the use of a single machine designed to perform multiple functions. Typically, these attempts have included the addition of heat to the road bed prior to removing the original surface layer or the addition of a special hot mix to the road upon the resurfacing of the road or both. Also, the roadbed is often crushed and picked up for processing.
One example of a method and apparatus for treating asphaltic pavement in a series of treatments performed by several machines is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,226,552 to Moench. A single apparatus road surfacing machine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,361,042 to Cutler. The method disclosed in Cutler '042 includes the step of heating the road bed prior to scarification. Further, the apparatus claimed in Cutler '042 incudes a conveyor means for depositing "hot mix" selectively.
Another patent to Cutler, U.S. Pat. No. 4,011,023, discloses a method and apparatus for recycling asphalt pavement. The method includes the steps of picking up crumbled pavement and heating and treating the pavement and surface before redepositing the mixture.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,124,352 to Cutler discloses a method and apparatus for recycling asphalt pavement. It is believed that this method and apparatus contemplates the use of heat on the roadway and the addition of new hot mix to form a new surfacing mixture.
It should be noticed that each of the devices and methods disclosed in the prior patents either apply heat to the road prior to scarification or pick up the roadbed to heat it and prepare it for reapplication or add a prepared asphalt mixture to the road bed prior to relaying the road.
Other devices which similarly apply heat include U.S. Pat. No. 3,843,274 to Gutman and U.S. Pat. No. 3,989,401 to Moench. U.S. Pat. No. 2,619,013 to McEachran discloses a device which picks up scarified roadbed and reworks it. U.S. Pat. No. 3,732,023 to Rank discloses a soil stabilization apparatus which mixes pulverized asphalt and asphalt/concrete surfaces with lime, cement, or emulsified asphalt to create a stabilized base for the new roadway.
Hence, to provide an iproved method and apparatus for recycling pavement, it is necessary to provide a method and apparatus which avoids the application of heat, the lifting of the road surface to a special container for retreating, or the addition of specially formulated materials to form the new road surface.